1934. Elspeth Grahame, elderly widow of Kenneth Grahame, lives alone, rarely washing, barely eating. When she receives flowers from a young fan of The Wind in the Willows, memories flood in and the familiar characters of Toad, Badger, Rat and Mole appear – to perform a musical entertainment in honour of their creator, laying bare the tragicomedy of their real-life counterparts: the shy, retiring Kenneth Grahame, who was both Secretary of the Bank of England and a successful author; Elspeth, an eccentric socialite; and their bumptious only son, Alastair – who became the prototype for Toad.

This rich and unusual play begins as a celebration of a famous book, but becomes a hard-hitting story of a dysfunctional family, unrealistic parental ambitions and teenage breakdown – as the author who delighted so many children is unable to save his own son.